


A Work In Progress

by Gayfangirl007



Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: Death, Depression, F/F, Love, References to Depression, relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-23
Updated: 2018-10-13
Packaged: 2019-07-16 00:01:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16074128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gayfangirl007/pseuds/Gayfangirl007
Summary: After Shaw and what's left of her team destroy the samaritans she is left alone in her new apartment that was picked for her. Root is gone. The truth about how Shaw is recovering and struggling to get over root's 'death'. What will happen when the machine gets involved once again in Shaw's life? And what will her reaction be when it sends surprise help and visitors at her worst moments?





	1. Chapter 1

Shaw sat on her couch. It wasn't actually her couch, it had been picked out for her. Along with her new identity, job and family. She hated this place, it wasn't home, it wasn't where she belonged. She belonged with Root. Root. Shaw brought her nearly empty bottle of bourbon up to her eye level and drained the remaining liquid from the bottle. Throwing the bottle across the room, she heard a domino of smashing sounds. Sounds expensive. Not that she cared, she was never going to call this place home. Looking around her new apartment in Queens, her eyes grazed around the hollow living room until they landed on a framed picture of her, root and Harold. Her eyes stayed there for a second longer until the sight began to blur, and the tears began to fall. Shaw threw her head back against the wall, a loud thud echoing through the living room. She repeated this again, and again, and again. Scrunching her eyes shut and then leaning forward, her head in her hands she let out a string of sniffs and then whimpers until they turned into sobs. She stood up quickly, stumbling as she made her way to the kitchen and grabbed another bottle of bourbon not bothering to even shut the fridge door before she stomped back into the main room and took a large gulp of the alcohol. These things she was feeling. She shouldn't be feeling them. It had been just over a month and yet she still found herself sprawled across the living room floor, couch or the balcony ever night. She picked up the framed picture, running her fingers over Root's face. More tears fell as she stood there. Suddenly, she swiped her fist across the counter top where all of her other photographs and ornaments were sitting. She punched and hit and scratch away at the decorations in her living room, the warm blood dripping down her hands as she crushed the glass and china. Looking around at the damage she had done, the remaining undamaged image lay on the floor surrounded by shattered glass. Kneeling down, she pressed her forehead to the picture and then let out a small, weak sob. Gasping. Sobbing. Gasping. Sobbing.Gasping and then screaming. Shaw collapsed on the floor, feeling the broken shards of glass cutting into her skin and letting her tears and blood run down the sides of her face and onto the wooden floor or to rest in a puddle in her collar bones. Closing her eyes, she let the exhaustion take over her body and succumbed to sleep.

Unaware to Shaw, the machine had been watching her every movement. She triggered multiple messages to go out to the necessary contacts and gave them instructions. All except one got that message, Shaw would have to wait. The machine was under orders not to contact a specific member of her team unless worst came to worst. They had just gotten out of danger, they couldn't risk being in danger once more, the risks were too great.   
Moments later, three agents entered Shaw's destroyed apartment and began to put things back together again. Like they did every single week, patching up the doctor and moving her to the couch once it had been cleared of glass and bourbon. The men looked at the woman in concern, covered in cuts and bruises. 

'She's going to destroy herself,' One of the men commented, he was placing new ornaments back onto the shelves and when he picked up the only picture frame that wasn't broken he sighed. Wiping away the tears, blood and alcohol he placed it next to her TV. The remaining two men replaced everything in the fridge, until the apartment looked as if the whole ordeal had never happened. Slowly, the men left one by one. However, the last one looked back at Shaw and placed a singular picture of Shaw and Root on her mantlepiece. Bending down to eye level with the doctor, he placed a hand on her cheek. When was she going to stop doing this to herself?

 

When morning came, Shaw was on her couch with a sore head and bruises and cuts plaguing her body. Same thing every week, fuck shit up, pass out, wake up to everything as it was before. Except this time, there was an extra picture on her mantlepiece. She stared longingly at the image, and then carried it upstairs and sat in the middle of her bed with the frame in her lap. She removed the glass, and took the picture out of its frame. She left the frame and image on her bed as she walked to get her clothes on. She wouldn't shower, she wouldn't need to. She removed the battery from her phone, and filled up the bathroom sink with water. Dropping her phone in there and then cutting her implant out of the inner crook of her arm with the pane on glass she had broken, dropping that in there too. Slipping a bandage up her arm, then throwing on a t-shirt, jeans, boots and jacket she grabbed the picture of her and root and left the Queens apartment.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Shaw's mental health now rapidly wasting away, it is up to the machine to try and save her.

Shaw walked her way to the subway, shoving through people and forcing herself into the corner of the carriage. She rode the subway until it was practically empty and then wandered about trying to follow the exit. When the light hit her face, she squinted slightly. Momentarily blinded by the strength of the sunlight, but yet kept on walking. She had no idea where she was, but she didn't care. She walked for about 5 more miles until she found a bridge overlooking a quick flowing river. She climbed up and sat with her legs dangling over the side and removed the picture from her coat pocket. Her hands were freezing, but when she was holding the picture of her and Root together it was almost as if Root was there too. Keeping her hands warm. Shaw remained staring at the picture for a few more minutes until she let out a breath. Seeing the mist of her breathing was calming but unsettling. Why should she have this privilege when Root's had been snatched away from her? Growing more and more angry, Shaw clenched her empty fist. Gently, she placed the image back into her pocket and stood up once again on the edge of the bridge. It was a long way down to the bottom, enough to kill her if she wanted to jump. She thought about Root, she would love to live somewhere like the countryside the bridge was overlooking. She zipped up her pockets, it wouldn't prevent the water from reaching the image, but it was a form of protection for it none the less. Taking a breath, she stepped off the bridge preparing for the long drop to the bottom but found herself being yanked back and landed on a muscular man dressed all in black. He wore a beanie, with a black scarf wrapped around the bottom half of his face, a long black coat covering his body. He stood up and offered a leather gloved hand out to Shaw. She didn't take it. She got up and glared up and down at the offensive view.  
'What do you want? Who are you?!' Shaw was shouting and the man looked around to see if anyone was near. Shaw stuck her hands in her pocket, searching for the broken pane of glass she had kept with her, incase the impact hadn't killed her.  
'I wouldn't try that if I were you, I'm here to help, not to hurt' The man removed the scarf from his face, he had a dark black stubble staining his lower face and darkening skin under his eyes.  
'Who are you?' Shaw managed to force out through gritted teeth, he didn't answer but walked away making sure to look back. He made a gesture with his head to tell her to follow him and she started to drag her feet until she caught up to the mysterious man.  
'I am an agent for the machine, I have been assigned to you. That means preventing you from ruining the whole operation of protection we have going on here, which i must admit you are relentless at trying to do.' Shaw rolled her eyes, no wonder he looked so rough, he was most likely up all night making sure she didn't off herself or anyone else.  
'I don't need protecting, I need to be left alone... Where are we going?'  
'To see the machine' She grumbled under her breath and the male agent chuckled. She was a handful, one that was near impossible to contain but he took the job none the less. A large black SUV approached them, he opened the door for her and she refused to move. Shrugging, he walked round the car to the passenger side and waited for Shaw t get in the car. She wasn't moving.  
'Get in the car Doctor Shaw. You are under orders of the machine. Get in the car' So she did. Begrudgingly. Slamming the car door hard and scowled at the man in the mirror.

Paying no attention to the two agents in the front, she stared out the window and closed her eyes. The machine and her did not get along, Shaw didn't like getting pushed about by a sim card which she made very clear. Yet she still had some sort of soft spot for her mechanic boss, she kept her and root safe. She protected them, and for that she was grateful.  
'Agen Shaw, we have reached our destination. The machine would like to speak to you as soon as possible' The two men remained in the car while Shaw got out and walked towards the small building that looked like a fast food restaurant. When she got the the door, she told the boy at the front desk that she was Agent Shaw called in for the machine.  
'Follow me agent Shaw' The prepubescent boy's voice had barely just broken and his long scrawny legs took her to the top floor of the building. Leaving her at the door she knocked.  
'Enter?' The voice behind the door sounded confused and tired. She entered sighing and was hoping it would just be a tired receptionist for who she was actually supposed to talk to. She turned around and shut the door ,  
'Shaw?' The voice gasped. She knew that voice and she whipped around and came face to face with her.  
'Root'


	3. Chapter 3

ₜₕᵤₘₚ ₜₕᵤₘₚ ₜₕᵤₘₚ ₜₕᵤₘₚ

Root could hear her heart in her head. Her breathing stopped. She couldn't speak. Couldn't move. She was really seeing this. Sameen was standing in front of her. Her balance unsteady, her hands shaking, he eyes red and her face gaunt. What has she been doing to herself? Concern shot through Root like an agent shooting a target, and she slowly approached Shaw.  
'Don't' It was barely a whisper. But Root stopped moving, she could understand why Sameen was unhappy to see her. But those thoughts wavered slightly when Sameen began to approach her. She stopped. Started. Stopped and started again. Until she was standing directly in front of Root. They were practically breathing into each others mouths, eyes watering and hands shaking more than ever Sameen reached out and touched Roots face gently. She hesitated, as if she was afraid she wasn't real, but then increased the pressure and cupped her face with both hands not being able to believe she was real. Root closed her eyes and tears rolled down her cheeks and down Shaw's hands. Placing her hands softly over Sameen's, she allowed the tears to fall. So there they stood, crying together and in a flash Root and Sameen were embracing each other kneeling on the floor. While her arms were wrapped around Sameen, she snuck her arms under the coat trying to feel everything. She felt all of the bones in her back stab into her hands, and they buried their heads deeper into each others necks. Sameen was the first to pull back, her nose running slightly and quickly blushing red. This gave Root the chance to really look at her close up. Her face was... different. She was skinnier, and she had deep circles from lack of sleep under her eyes. Root's heart ached for her. She had destroyed herself. Grasping her hands she looked at them, they were covered in bruises and cuts.  
'Oh Sameen...' lifting her head, she rested their foreheads together.  
'Why have you done this?' Sameen's shoulders started to shake, sniffs filled the room and after a few minutes she spoke.  
'You left me...You were dead...I visited your grave...I never didn't think about you.' Shaw stood up and paced around the room, her breathing getting harsher and harsher,  
'How could you do this to me?!' Shaw's breathing was laboured and she was wheezing and gasping for breath. Sobbing she collapsed against the wall in the corner hugging her body to herself, she felt too hot. She shoved her jacket off of her shoulders and went to take off her shirt. Root rushed over and pulled her body against her own. Shaw began to scream and fight, Root kept her hold on her and whispered in her ear.  
'I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I thought about you everyday. I wanted to come and find you, but it was too dangerous. I had already lost you, I couldn't loose all chance of me ever being with you again.' Sameen was quietly sobbing into Root's shoulder, Root was rocking her back and forth. Her nose buried in the crown of her hair, under the smell of sweat , She smelt something that was distinctly Sameen.

'Agents Root and Shaw please enter the office' A gruff voice disrupted their time together and Sameen growled,  
'How about you go fuck yourself?!'  
'Sameen please...' Linking their hands together, they walked into the office. It was empty, with the exception of two desks in the middle of the room. On each desk was a laptop, a gun and a full box of ammunition. Root walked over to the desk with zip ties and a taser on it, Shaw walked over to the desk with more handguns and a box of weapon supplies. The laptop screen turned on and their faces on a new passport, drivers licence and their signatures on a document for a house. They looked at each other. They knew what this meant, but they were afraid. They had only just gotten back to each other, and now they were expected to go back out on the field. Another fake identity, another new house. Shaw walked over to Root's table. She had touched nothing and instead was just staring at the objects. Opening her draw, she found the passports, licences and two pairs of keys. Taking all of them out and laying them on the desk, she turned to Sameen,  
'I'm not losing you again. I can't. I need you in my life.' Looking down at the document on her laptop screen , Shaw smirked.  
'That's good because it looks like we're living together' Root gasped as Sameen pulled her closer and placed a gentle kiss on her lips,  
'You're not going anywhere. Ever again.'After packing everything away, they walked down the stairs and into the frosted field. In front was a car, and beside it were the two male agents Shaw had seen before.  
'I take it you have followed the instructions and got everything with you, we will be keeping tabs on you and will give help or replace things when necessary. Now please follow the directions the machine gives you and you will end up at your new destination. Good Luck.' And with that they walked away and entered the building behind them.  
'I'm driving' Shaw grunted and threw the bags in the back of the car almost as if they offended her. Opening the passenger door, she allowed Root to enter the car and then crossed to the other side. Putting in the ear piece that rested on the dashboard, she gave Root hers. They looked at each other, Sameen kissed Root's hand gently and then started the car. Root smiled, she had a love hate relationship with the machine ever since her 'death' but the robotic voice welcoming her back gave her comfort. It felt normal, just like old times.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I haven't updated in forever, but am on new meds atm and am really struggling so im so so so so so s os os os o so so so so so so sorry

Root couldn't stop staring at Sameen. It was when she had started driving that she noticed the cuts and bruises up her hands and wrists, not self administered but definitely from her punching things. Root looked up and down her arms, across her shoulders and to her face. She almost cried just looking at her. Her face was sunken in, dark circles clouded her cheek bones and the underside of her eyes and her eyes themselves were red rimmed and bloodshot.

'It's rude to stare' Shaw said harshly. Root smirked at this, despite everything Sameen had been through she still had the same hidden playful bite to her words. Root slipped her hand over Sameen's thigh,

'Why hang artwork if people are not allowed to stare at it?' Root tried to whisper seductively but ended up giggling at the end, but she heard another slight giggle and looked over to see the very piece of artwork laughing along with her. She thinks this is the first time they had properly laughed and smiled together, besides from that night in the safehouse. Root looked back down at her hand on Sameen's leg, and squeezed gently causing her laughter to stop. She slid her hand up slightly so it was an inch away from the crook of her hip and her leg,

'You want me to crash this car? I only just got you back' Shaw said with a stone face but her voice was suggestive. Root nearly stopped breathing, She had only just gotten her back... if anything it just increased her lust for the younger spy and she made the brave decision to remove her hand from Sameen's thigh and instead grab the other spy's hand and placed it firmly over her center through her jeans. Slowly, she increased the pressure and then removed her hand and was happy to feel Shaw's hand rub hard and slow. She let her head fall back against the head rest and sighed, Shaw was applying pressure to where her opening would be with her fingers and was grinding the heel of her hand against her clit. Shaw looked over at her for a split second before returning her eyes back to the road, she looked at the GPS system and saw she had 15 minutes left, but if she increased her speed it would likely shrink down to 5. Root's eyes shot open at the sudden lack of pressure but quickly settled down as she saw the determined look of Sameen's face as the speed increased.

'What were you saying about not wanting to crash the car?' Root teased breathlessly as Shaw only just missed an oncoming car. She didn't get a response as the car was hastily put in park and Shaw left her side of the car, Root sighed. Guess she isn't in the mood. But that thought disappeared as she found her self being pulled out of the car and pushed against the door, closing it.

'Just you wait until we get inside, so I can used both hands and my tongue on you...' Shaw practically growled in her ear, Root had to grab onto the woman to stop her knees from giving out.

'I'm going to hold you to that and if we're not upstairs in the next minute, I'm going to zip tie you to a chair and make you watch me' and with that they grabbed each other's hands and quickly but casually walked up to the lobby.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so I suck at writing! I apologize for how awful this is...


End file.
